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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

W. L. OASADAY.

BOAT.

No. 333,391. Patented Dec. 29, 1885.

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W. L. GASADAY.

BOAT.

No. 333,891. Patented Dec. 29, 1885.

Inve 71%;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM L. OASADAY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

aWECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,391, dated December 29, 1885.

Application filed June 2, 1-85.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. GASADAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State ofIndiana,haveinrented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Hy invention relates to certain improvements in boats used for hunting ducks or other water-fowl.

It consists in providing a boat with watertight forward and aft decks below the waterline, and having gunwale raised above the decks and provided with suitable holes and plugs, whereby said decks can be entirely covered with water by removing the plugs from the holes in the gunwale.

It further consists in having the walls of the cockpit of sniiicient height to cover the body of the occupant, and thus form a blind, said blind being covered on its outer sides with mirrors or other reflecting material, which will reflect the water, sky, and surrounding objects,and will render it easy to approach the game, as the water-fowl, seeing merely the reflection of the water and surrounding objects in the mirror, will not be frightened away, and their own reflection will also act as a decoy.

My invention further consists in providing an adjustable water-tight well secured in an opening in the bottom of the boat, which well can be raised when the boat is in motion, and the bottom of the same fitted in the opening, completely closing said opening and forming apart of the bottom of the boat. When at the hunting-grounds, the well can be forced down and allow the occupant to sit on the bottom of the boat with his legs in the well, or, when in shallow water, can be forced down until the bottom of the well rests on the bottom, and the sportsman can stand upright in the same when shooting, and turn in any direction with perfect ease.

The particular construction and arrangement of the various parts of my invention I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Serial No. 167.391.

(No model.)

Figure l is a perspective of my invention, showing the walls of the cockpit or blind folded down. Fig. 2 is a perspective showing the blind in position, the plugs removed from the holes in the gunwalaand the decks covered with water. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the well lowered. Fig. 4 is a side eleva tion, partially broken away, showing the well raised. Fig. 5 is a detail.

Referring to said drawings, A is a boat of any suitable construction, preferably made very shallow.

B B are water-tight decks below the level of the water-line.

O is a gunwale projecting above the decks and the waterline. The water-line is indicated by the dotted line a.

b b are holes in the gunwalc below the water-line.

c c are suitable plugs. XVhen approaching the game, or when at the hunting-grounds, the plugs are removed, and the decks are covered with water, leaving only the narrow line of the gunwale exposed to View. Said gunwale is made of any thin material.

D D are decoys secured to the decks of the boat, and when said decks are submerged appear to be floating in the water, as shown in Fig. 2.

E is the cockpit, the walls E of which are extended to a suflicient height to form a blind to conceal the occupant. The lower part, c, of the walls of the cockpit are secured to the decks and side of the boat so as to be watertight. The upper portions of said walls, 6, are hinged to the lower parts, 6, and fold down, as shown in Fig. 1, thus enabling the occupant to use a paddle for propelling the boat.

.The outer sides of the walls of the cockpit or blind are covered with mirrors F, or other suitable reflecting material. When the cockpit is folded down, the mirrors are protected, the hinged portions being secured to the decks and side of the boat by hooks f. \Vhen said hinged portions are elevated in position to form a blind, they are secured in position by the hooks f. The mirrors, reflecting the water and surrounding objects, render it very. easy to approach the game, which are not frightened by the boat, as would be the case when using an ordinary boat not provided with mirrors. The decoys are also reflected ICO in the mirrors, and double the number of del coys are thus shown. The reflection of the game in said mirrors also acts as a decoy. The upper portion of the cockpit or blind is provided with openings e, and the amalgam is removed from the mirrors opposite these openings. Peep-holes are thus formed, through which the game can readily be seen without exposing the person of the sportsman.

The boat can be propelled by asmall screwpropeller, f, or other suitable device, the shaft of whichmay be connected with suitable cranks and gearing for operating the same, thus rendering it easy to noiselessly approach all kinds of waterfowl in open water, which is impossible in an ordinary boat.

The mirrors on the outside of the cockpit or blind come down to the water-line, and may be set at any desired angle to the decks of the boat, and the upper hinged portions may be so constructed as to form a roof or cover over the occupant.

In the bottom of the boat I make an opening. G, in which is secured a water-tight sack, made of some suitable flexible water-tight material, which forms an adjustable well, H, having a bottom, h, conforming to and adapted to fit in the opening in the bottom of the boat. When the boat is being propelled, the well H is drawn up until its bottom h fits in the opening G, and is secured in place by hooks or other suitable devices. When at the huntinggrounds, the well is forced down, as shown in Fig. 3. The sportsman sits on the bottom of the boat, his legs being in the well, thus enabling him to assume a comfortable position. When hunting in shallow water, the well is pushed down until it rests on the bottom. The sportsman can then stand on the bottom of the well and readily turn and shoot in any direction.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A boat such as described, provided with a cockpit having its walls projecting above the water-line, water-tight decks below the water-line, and a gunwale projecting above said decks and waterline and having holes and plugs below the water-line whereby when the plugs are removed the decks will be submerged, substantially as .and for the purpose set'forth.

2. A boat such as described, provided with a cockpit having its walls projecting above the water-line, decoys secured to the decks,

and a gunwale projecting above said decks and water-line and having holes and plugs below the water-line, whereby when the plugs are removed the decks will be submerged and the decoys surrounded by water, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A boat having the walls of the cockpit extended to form a blind and provided with mirrors on the outer sides of said walls, substantially as shown and described.

4. A boat having the walls of the cockpit extended to form a blind and provided with mirrors on the outer sides of said walls, and peep-holes in the same, substantially as shown and described.

5. A boat having a cockpit provided with folding walls extended to form ablind and provided with mirrors secured to the outer sides of said walls, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a boat, water tight decks below the water-line, decoys secured to said decks, and a gunwale projecting above the water-line and provided with holes and plugs below the water-line, in combination with a cockpit having its walls extended to forma blind and provided with mirrors on the outer sides of said walls, substantially as and for thepurpose shown and described.

7. A boat having an opening in its bottom and provided with a flexible and adjustable water-tight sack or well secured in said open ing, the bottom of said well conforming to the shape of'the opening in the bottom of the boat and forming a portion of said bottom when drawn up, substantially as shown and de-- scribed. I

8. A boat having aremovable section in its bottom, connected to the bottom of the boat by an adjustable water-tight sack or bellows, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

9. A boat having the walls of-its cockpit extended to form a blind and provided with mirrors on the outer sides of said walls, in combination with an adjustable water-tight sack or well secured in an opening in the bottom of the boat, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. CASADAY.

Witnesses:

MARTIN L. WENGER, WILLIs A. BUGBEE. 

